Amateur-built Sportsman GS-2 accident near Hopland, California, October 20, 2006
On October 20, 2006 at about 7:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Sportsman GS-2, registered N429AD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hopland, California (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's excessive braking during landing roll, which resulted in the airplane nosing over. A contributing factor was the erroneous windsock indication, which prompted the pilot to land with a tailwind, and inadvertently increase his landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2006 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hopland, California · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Sportsman GS-2
- Registration
- N429AD · no longer on the register · serial 7052
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The experimental amateur-built airplane nosed over after the pilot applied firm braking during the landing roll. The pilot landed the tailwheel equipped airplane on his grass airstrip after assessing the wind direction with the aide of a windsock. During the landing roll the pilot realized that the remaining runway was decreasing and applied firm braking. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. Upon exiting the airplane the pilot noticed the wind was blowing from a direction opposite than the windsock indicated. He examined the windsock and found that it was caught in a guide wire and was indicating opposite the actual wind direction.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,346 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1,304 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 76 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 1, 2006; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: STS Santa Rosa CA at 7:10 pm
- Destination: Hopland CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,400 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.